FOIA Centre: news and links about ‘freedom of information’ and open access

UK government scraps plans to restrict FOIA
25.10.07
Ministers abandoned their planned restrictions on “freedom of information”. Alan Beith (pictured right), chairman of Parliament’s constitutional affairs committee, welcomed the decision.
MPs say ministers should drop FOIA restrictions
Ministers delay planned restrictions on FOIA
FOIA regulator’s bid for funding boost refused
Analysis on govt plans:
Heather Brooke ¦ Tim Gopsill ¦ FOIA Centre
Government set to break promise to MPs on FOIA

MMR group action collapses in high court
08.06.07
Families of children allegedly damaged by the MMR triple vaccination saw their group claim for damages in the high court collapse today.
All but two claims against various pharmaceutical companies must be discontinued, or else be struck out, because of the withdrawal of legal aid. But the judge stressed that his ruling did not reject any of the contentions that MMR had seriously damaged the children.
Revealed: government gave false MMR assurance
MMR judicial review judge’s family link to company
NHS received warnings on MMR risk to brains
Revealed: how Whitehall dismissed MMR alarms

Govt appeals to high court on ID-cards order
31.05.07
Lawyers acting for the government are to appeal to the high court against an order to disclose confidential reviews on ID-cards.
The office of government commerce (OGC) has already lost an appeal to the information tribunal against the order under FOIA.
Tribunal orders disclosure of ID-cards reports
‘Openness on IT would spark department clashes’
Government attacks FOIA watchdog over ID-cards

Lawyers defrauding legal aid to be ‘named’
15.05.07
All lawyers found to have defrauded the legal aid system are set to be officially “named and shamed”. The department for constitutional affairs disclosed the move in response to a FOIA request for details about investigations into legal-aid payments.
The department, which has merged into the new ministry of justice, says that the names of lawyers shown to have taken such money “in an inappropriate fashion” are to be published shortly.
Cherie Booth earns £30,000 a year from legal aid

Memos reveal strategy to block FOIA requests
17.04.07
Government officials devised a secret strategy to frustrate any request for the disclosure of the findings of an investigation into a troubled information-technology project. By Bill Goodwin.
Confidential memos expose how officials at the housing corporation planned a strategy to block any request filed under FOIA for a report on the investigation, seeking tips from government lawyers on the tactics that they could use to prevent disclosure. Officials began to devise their strategy even before the investigation was completed and despite the presumption under FOIA in favour of disclosing requested material.

NHS to spend £1m seeking reporter’s source
02.04.07
NHS bosses have spent at least £300,000 trying to identify the source of a freelance journalist’s story about Moors murderer Ian Brady. And the final bill could top £1 million.
The disclosure of the figures under FOIA comes after the court of appeal ruled in February that the journalist, Robin Ackroyd, should not have to reveal his confidential sources.

Ministers postpone ‘cost’ restrictions on FOIA
29.03.07
Ministers today announced a delay to their plans to introduce tight curbs on the use of the UK’s “freedom of information” law. Any changes to the fees regulations governing “freedom of information” look set to be delayed until the autumn.
The department for constitutional affairs had planned to bring in the restrictions on FOIA next month. However, it today announced a further period of consultation on its proposals.
Heather Brooke: politicians must embrace FOIA
Tim Gopsill: curbing FOIA is bad for democracy
Why ministers’ attempt to foil FOIA needs to fail

Whitehall was warned about MMR risk
05.03.07 – updated 21.03.07
Britain used a version of MMR for four years even though health officials knew of problems with it in other countries, newly released documents show.
Previously confidential Whitehall documents, released under FOIA, show how government health officials and experts gradually learnt several months earlier of the dangers of the type of MMR introduced, which causes encephalitis-type conditions, including meningitis, in some cases. The MMR with the known dangers was replaced after four years.
Revealed: how officials dismissed MMR alarms

FOIA regulator’s bid for funding boost refused
20.03.07
Ministers have again refused a request from the information commissioner for additional funding to clear the backlog of FOIA complaints.
The department of constitional affairs, which oversees FOIA in the UK, rebuffed the plea for a boost of £750,000 for the 2007/08 financial year to clear the backlog by March 2008.
FOIA regulator seeks £750,000 to clear backlog
MPs: commissioner must become more ‘assertive’
DCA agrees to half of £1m bid to clear backlog
What’s up with the information commissioner?
‘We’re trying our best and we’re getting tougher’

More Scottish bodies to be covered by FOISA
16.03.07
Ministers in Scotland have drawn up a list of hundreds of Scottish bodies that could in future be covered by “freedom of information”. By Hamish Macdonell.
The Scottish executive is to contact a range of organisations – including independent schools, charities and even newspapers – before deciding whether to make them subject to the freedom of information (Scotland) act (FOISA). Margaret Curran, minister for parliamentary business, revealed the move following a review of FOISA.
‘Secret Scotland’ forced open by FOISA regulator

Why restricting FOIA is bad for democracy
08.03.07
“Freedom of information” in the UK is under attack. The department of constitutional affairs wants to stifle the FOIA genie.
Tim Gopsill, of the national union of journalists, explains why the proposed curbs would be a backward step for democracy.
Why ministers’ attempt to foil FOIA needs to fail
Government set to break promise to MPs on FOIA
Ministers consider changing FOIA charges regime
MPs: commissioner must become more ‘assertive’
Ministers deny plans to increase FOIA charges

MPs’ travel exes revealed after long battle
14.02.07
Parliament today finally released a breakdown of travel expenses for each one of the UK’s 646 MPs. The disclosure under FOIA came after it lost an appeal against a decision that it must disclose details of expenses claimed by each MP for travel by car, rail, air and even bicycle.
The figures show a wide variety of claims. Local newspapers throughout the UK were today scrutinising the details for any signs of possibly excessive claims by MPs in their area.
Parliament loses appeal over MPs’ travel expenses
Commons appeals decision on MPs’ travel exes

‘Brown’s think-tank’ doubled events at No11
05.02.07
Chancellor Gordon Brown’s base in Downing Street doubled the number of seminars it hosted for the Smith institute despite an official warning to the “think-tank”.
A second set of documents released under FOIA show that the Smith institute, a registered charity, held 27 events in the past 12 months at 11 Downing Street – more than double its initial request – even though the charity commission warned six years ago that its use of No11 raised questions over its political independence.
Smith institute warned about its use of No11

Govt attacks FOIA watchdog over ID order
09.01.07
Government lawyers attacked the information commissioner for not living in the “real world” after ordering disclosure of confidential reports on the identity-cards programme. By Bill Goodwin.
The battle over whether the “gateway review” reports should be disclosed under FOIA has pitted ministers against the information commissioner, Richard Thomas, and the case is due to go before the information tribunal in March.
NHS neutered NAO’s criticisms of IT scheme

Blair’s government favours ‘spin’ over FOIA
18.12.06
As the government prepares to tighten the rules on freedom of information, ministers are becoming some of the most effective leakers in the land.
Nicholas Jones, former BBC political corres-pondent, reveals how the government “manages” information while undermining FOIA.
Government set to break promise to MPs on FOIA
Ministers consider changing FOIA charges regime
MPs: commissioner must become more ‘assertive’
Ministers deny plans to increase FOIA charges

Royal Mail’s bid for ‘junk mail’ secrecy fails
11.12.06
Acute sensitivity at the Royal Mail over public outrage about the deluge of “junk mail” it distributes has been exposed by FOIA.
The Royal Mail refused to disclose data on how many people have registered to stop receiving unaddressed junk mail, claiming that it was “commercially sensitive”. But it looked foolish because similar data was released by the mailing preference service.

Hain faces inquiry over untruthful FOIA reply
23.11.06
Northern Ireland secretary Peter Hain is under investigation after his department replied to a FOIA request untruthfully. By Mark Lloyd.
A high court judge said that untruths told in the FOIA reply and to subsequent court hearings during a legal challenge to the way Hain appointed the interim victims commissioner suggested that there was an attempt to pervert the course of justice.
How FOIA untruths landed Hain in legal troubles
Justice Girvan’s questions for Hain inquiry in full

Inspection report: care home is still failing
26.10.06
Standards at a care home fail to meet legal requirements four years after it tried to suppress a health authority investigation into complaints against it.
The findings of an unannounced inspection follow a FOIA revelation that the home had threatened to sue a health authority if it published the investigation.
How FOIA opens up care homes to public scrutiny
Revealed: how FOIA casts light on health issues

FOIA regulator asks for another funding boost
26.10.06
Constitutional affairs secretary Lord Falconer is considering a request from Richard Thomas, the information commissioner, for another funding boost of £750,000.
Thomas says that the extra money is needed to clear the backlog of FOIA complaints by March 2008.
Government set to break promise to MPs on FOIA
DCA agrees to half of £1m bid to clear backlog
What’s up with the information commissioner?
Richard Thomas: ‘We’re trying our best’

Government set to break promise on FOIA
16.10.06
Ministers are poised to break a promise made to Parliament that they would not curb freedom of information by changing arrangements for charges.
Lord Falconer, constitutional affairs secretary, confirmed today that he is “minded” to change the rules to make it easier for public bodies to refuse requests because of excessive cost.
Ministers consider changing FOIA charges regime
MPs: commissioner must become more ‘assertive’
Ministers deny plans to increase FOIA charges

NHS neutered NAO’s criticisms of IT scheme
07.09.06
Criticisms by official auditors of the £12.4 billion NHS information-technology scheme were removed or neutered under government pressure. By Tony Collins.
Draft versions of a report by the national audit office (NAO) into the project, disclosed under FOIA, reveal what the covered-up criticisms were. And there are sharp differences between three draft NAO reports and the final version, with a series of crucial omissions, additions and alterations.
With obsessive official secrecy, is FOIA any use?

How FOIA opens up care homes to scrutiny
22.08.06
Care homes are being forced to reveal what is going on behind closed doors thanks to “freedom of information”.
Relatives of elderly residents in care homes have made astonishing discoveries about these places because all public bodies – including the comm-ission for social care inspection (CSCI), which regulates care homes, as well as children’s homes and other social services – are subject to FOIA.
Revealed: how FOIA casts light on health issues

UK gave £17m arms package to Saudi Arabia
21.08.06
Labour ministers gave a £17 million package of arms as a “gift” to Saudi Arabia as part of the UK’s “Al Yamamah” defence deal. A private ministerial letter, disclosed under FOIA, reveals the “gift”, including 100 precision-guided missiles.
HMG auditors wrote second ‘Al Yamamah’ report
NAO doubts over keeping Saudi arms report secret
MoD worried MPs would re-think publishing report
NAO never cleared ‘Al Yamamah’ of bribery claims

Analysis: Press must return to real journalism
17.08.06 – updated 26.01.07
Newspapers – broadsheets and tabloids alike – spend ever-more restricted resources on the quick-fire “dark arts” of journalism to gather information. By Mark Watts.
They prefer to do this, especially for celebrity tittle tattle, rather than invest in legitimate methods, such as exploiting FOIA, to find real news. That will have to change as the police and information commissioner clamp down on obtain-ing personal data illegally.
PCC urged to stop press stealing information
Revealed: how newspapers gather material illegally

Prison drug finds rise by a third in three years
13.08.06
Drug finds in UK prisons have risen by more than a third over the past three years, new figures reveal. It comes as a leaked confidential prison service report suggested that as many as 1,000 prison officers in Britain are corrupt.
Data released under FOIA shows that the total number of drug finds reached 5,490 in 2005, up from 4,050 in 2002.

Ministers consider raising FOIA charges
30.07.06
Ministers are considering an increase in charges for FOIA requests. A leaked confidential cabinet paper proposes that fees should be set to deter “the most difficult requests”.
The paper by Lord Falconer, constitutional affairs secretary, presents options on how fees could be changed. He wants new rules to make it easier for the government to refuse requests on the grounds that they are too costly.
Ministers deny plans to increase FOIA charges

Coroner for Diana quits after FOIA revelation
24.07.06
Coroner Michael Burgess resigned from the inquest into the death of Diana, princess of Wales, hours after the government admitted that he had no jurisdiction.
Officials conceded earlier in the day, following a FOIA request, that the royal coroner was conducting the inquest on a false basis. The wrongful claim of jurisdiction is crucial because it enables, exceptionally, the jury to consist entirely of royal staff members.
Met’s Diana probe cost £750,000 in first year

MPs: FOIA regulator must be more ‘assertive’
14.06.06
MPs who investigated “freedom of information” in the UK called on the information commissioner to “adopt a firmer approach” with public bodies.
The cross-party constitutional affairs committee, chaired by Alan Beith, a Liberal Democrat MP, says the priority should be “a more effective and assertive enforcement of the law.”
Govt agrees to half of backlog budget bid
Ministers deny plans to increase FOIA charges
What’s up with the information commissioner?
Lord Lester’s battle over Iraq legal advice
BBC unveils the stories it found through FOIA
‘We’re trying our best and we’re getting tougher’

Byers was warned on Railtrack administration
11.06.06
Labour’s relations with big business have been undermined following the release of minutes of government meetings about Railtrack going into administration.
Minutes of a series of high-level meetings conducted by Stephen Byers, then transport secretary, released under FOIA, show that he received a warning from Tom Winsor, then the rail regulator, about his proposed strategy. The minutes are bound to shake the trust of the financial city of London in the government.

Home office funds muslim council of Britain
10.05.06 – updated 05.06.06
Letters between the home office and a high-profile muslim group reveal that the government has provided it with at least £150,000 of funding.
The group, the muslim council of Britain (MCB), led at the time of the grant by Sir Iqbal Sacranie, had asked for £500,000, according to correspondence disclosed under FOIA. It raises questions about the MCB’s independence from the government.

Lord Lester’s battle over Iraq legal advice
17.03.06 – updated 26.05.06
MPs were warned of a “continuing culture of secrecy in parts of Whitehall”. The warning came from Lord Lester, who told a parliamentary select committee about his tortuous experience of using FOIA to extract the date on which the government first sought and obtained legal advice about the legality of the invasion of Iraq.
BBC unveils the stories it found through FOIA

DCA agrees to half of £1m bid to clear backlog
24.04.06
Ministers are to pay half of the budget bid by the information commissioner to clear the backlog of complaints made under FOIA.
The department for constitutional affairs has agreed to a boost of £550,000 to the annual budget of £5 million for the office of the information commissioner, which regulates FOIA in the UK.
Ministers deny plans to increase FOIA charges

Private health care on NHS set to rise five-fold
11.04.06
Private health companies will carry out up to 15% of NHS treatment in two years, a report released under FOIA by the department of health predicts. This represents more than a five-fold rise to 1.25 million procedures per year by 2008/09. It shows the huge growth of private health provision to the NHS planned by the government.
How FOIA is casting light on health issues
Medical staff reveal NHS waiting-list fiddles
NHS gives contraceptive drugs to young girls

Ministers deny plans to increase FOIA charges
27.03.06
Ministers deny that they plan to increase charges for FOIA requests in an attempt to curb freedom of information. The department for constitutional affairs made the denial in evidence submitted to a parliamentary committee.
But it fell short of denying any plan to increase charges in order to meet any aim other than deterring requests.

What’s up with information commissioner?
22.03.06
As pending FOIA complaints reach 1,500, MPs were unimpressed by the regulator’s excuses at a parliamentary hearing.
Heather Brooke, “freedom of information” cam-paigner and author of a guide to Britain’s newly implemented act, explains how the regulator needs to change.
Richard Thomas: ‘We’re trying our best’

BBC unveils the stories it found through FOIA
17.03.06
BBC journalists have disclosed a list of revelatory stories that they obtained during the first year of full implementation of FOIA in the UK.
The BBC produced the list for MPs on the parliamentary constitutional affairs committee, which is reviewing how FOIA is working.

Richard Thomas: ‘We’re trying our best’
14.03.06
FOIA regulator Richard Thomas told MPs that the information commissioner’s office is trying its best and is becoming “tougher”.
He faced a grilling at the constitutional affairs committee hearing held today over the performance of his office in regulating FOIA during its first year of full implementation.

Commons told to release MPs’ travel exes
11.03.06
Parliament has been ordered to disclose a breakdown of travel expenses for each MP in the UK. The house of commons had refused to release the information, saying that it would breach the data protection act and would be “unfair” to MPs.
In one of the most significant “decision notices” made by the information commissioner, Richard Thomas, he has ruled that the house of commons must meet requests for the details under FOIA.

British officials ‘abused detainee after arrest’
06.03.06 – updated 11.03.06
British officials are accused of being party to the abuse of a Guantanamo detainee just before his transfer to the prison camp. The claim is made in a statement buried among thousands of pages of documents released under FOIA by the Pentagon.
British inmate claimed ‘prisoner of war’ status
‘We don’t care about international law’
Naming the names of ‘Camp Delta’ prisoners
US forced to identify Guantanamo detainees

NHS gives contraceptive drugs to young girls
26.02.06
Hundreds of girls aged 14 or under have received on the national health service contraceptive injections that make them infertile for up to three years as part of the government's effort to prevent teenage pregnancies.
Figures released under FOIA show that the injections were given to 750 girls aged 14 or under in England during a single year. Contraceptive implants were given to another 150 girls in the same age group.

E-mail reveals Standard Life ‘smeared’ critic
25.02.06
Insurer Standard Life stands accused of smearing a rebel policy-holder, Michael Hogan. An e-mail sent to Standard Life executives and advisors, which has been disclosed under the data protection act, reveals an attempt to discredit the critic who stood for election to the mutual's board.
Entitled, “Some interesting details re M Hogan,” the 500-word e-mail raised queries about Hogan’s business record.

MoD staff to receive secret Commons ‘steer’
18.02.06
Military personnel and defence officials giving evidence to parliament’s defence select committee will in future be warned about the likely areas of questioning.
The ministry of defence released under FOIA guidance issued to staff as part of reforms in response to criticism in Lord Hutton’s inquiry into the death of Dr David Kelly, the late weapons inspector.
MoD audits its press relations

Archive of articles from before 2006
(we plan to add further articles to our archive)